1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to vertical pumping of slurries of particulate matter and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, it relates to a vertical hoist pumping system and associated process control for moving coal slurry over appreciable vertical distances.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes numerous forms of short distance vertical pumping equipment as utilized in diverse manufacturing and mining processes; however, there are but few comparable vertical pumping systems which are intended for moving slurried material from an integrally associated mine slurry system through a vertical earthen or cased borehole of considerable length for operative connection to an overland slurry transport system. U.S. Patent 3,982,789 to Funk teaches vertical pipelining of slurry from a mine sump upward to surface processing equipment. The system utilizes a rotary gate metering system in combination with a centrifugal pump to transmit slurried heavies while fines are separately collected for introduction into the vertical pipeline. Vertical pipelining in general has also been employed in several German mine systems; however Applicant has no knowledge of any prior process control similar to the present system.